Curated OER
Why War? Causes of the American Revolution and South Carolina's Role
Eighth graders investigate the role of South Carolina in the American Revolution. In this colonial American lesson, 8th graders analyze primary documents and images to determine how the state was involved in the outbreak of the war and...
Curated OER
Into the Wild: Settling the South Carolina Backcountry
Eighth graders select their own plot of land in the Backcountry to settle in the 1700s in SC. Students first find a point for settlement and sketch out the best route from the Lowcountry to arrive at the point. They...
Curated OER
Buying, Selling, and Trading in Antebellum South Carolina
Young scholars research the role of general stores in the development of communities. In this South Carolina history lesson, students study the economic development of early U.S. communities. Young scholars write essays and create...
Curated OER
“Will I or Won’t I?” Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, 54th Massachusetts Regiment
Students discover the story of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. In this American Civil War lesson plan, students study the life of Robert Gould Shaw and the regiment he led. Students research primary and secondary sources to learn about...
Curated OER
Turn of the Century Immigration
Students explore the immigration wave that hit the United States in 19th century. In this immigration lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources to determine what the immigration experience was like for new citizens. Students...
Curated OER
Extending Vocabulary to Describe Communities
Second graders study vocabulary to describe their community. In this meaning of words lesson, 2nd graders acquire new vocabulary words to label pictures and objects. They use these words in speaking and writing.
Curated OER
The Crittenden Conway Duel
Students explore primary and secondary sources. For this primary and secondary source lesson, students investigate a crime scene. Students search for evidence around the classroom and evaluate their findings. Students write a crime...
Curated OER
Impact of Indian Removal
Seventh graders consider how the majority sometimes enforces unjust laws upon the minority. In this Indian Removal instructional activity, 7th graders research Internet and print sources regarding the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and...
Curated OER
Immigrant Contributions
Students read a passage about immigrants making contributions to the state of Kansas and write the main ideas and details of what they read. In this immigrant contributions lesson plan, students fill out a graphic organizer of immigrant...
Curated OER
Pennies for Peace; Using Common Cents to Create Global Change in The Middle East
Ninth graders read, write, listen and speak in relation to gathering information as it pertains to service learning. For this service learning lesson, 9th graders read the book Three Cups of Tea and the complete guide to service learning...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Using the Coordinate Plane in Problem Solving
Fifth graders practice solving problems. In this fraction and decimal lesson, 5th graders recognize the relationship between fraction and decimals. Students estimate problem results and write expressions to use for problem...
Curated OER
Communicating with "I Messages", Part 2
Third graders listen to ways they share their feelings with others. After brainstorming situations where "I messages" would be appropriate, pairs of students write messages from the lists they developed. They discuss how their messages...
Curated OER
Lights, Camera, Action...Crossing the Delaware in 9 Scenes
How does reading a drama differ from reading a novel? Middle schoolers become playwrights and explore these differences. After viewing the A&E movie,"The Crossing," groups create stage directions, write dialogue, and design sets and...
Curated OER
Choosing a Family Dog
Fourth graders research types of dogs and recommend one that would make the best family pet. They work in cooperative groups of three using Kidspiration to map out the essential question before beginning their research, write reports,...
Curated OER
Martha Ballard (1785-1812): An Essential Woman in Her Community
Students search the web for information about "Martha Ballard" Students develop a master list of personal qualities exhibited by Ballard, using events in the film to substantiate their selections.
Advocates for Human Rights
Who are Immigrants?
What do Jerry Yang, Patrick Ewing, John Muir, Charlize Theron, Peter Jennings, and Saint Frances X Cabrini all have in common? They are all immigrants to the United States. Famous and not-so-famous immigrants are the focus of a resource...
Social Media Toolbox
Social Media Plan
It's gameplan time! Journalism scholars create a social media plan based upon work completed in previous lessons. The activity, fifth in a 16-part Social Media Toolbox series, focuses on using data and consensus to create an effective...
Southern Poverty Law Center
Evaluating Reliable Sources
A lesson plan instills the importance of locating reliable sources. Scholars are challenged to locate digital sources, analyze their reliability, search for any bias, and identify frequently found problems that make a source unusable.
Trinity University
Julius Caesar: The Power of Persuasion
"Friend, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..." Those words begin one of the most persuasive speeches in literature. Explore the elements of persuasion in a series of lessons related to William Shakespeare's Julius...
Curated OER
Sophocles' Oedipus the King
Introduce your class to the Greek tragedy with a study of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. Learners examine the features of a Greek tragedy, Sophocles’ achievements and contributions, and the universal themes that make the drama an...
Norfork School District
Habits of Mind
Why do artists create? To solve a problem, of course. Young artists work individually and then in groups to create observational, imaginative, and narrative drawings in response to an assignment that requires them to employ all 16...
University of Wisconsin
Analyzing Presidential Campaign Propaganda
Campaign propaganda has evolved from 1952 through the presidential election of 2008. A social studies activity prompts class members to analyze the devices used in ads and political cartoons, noting strategies they believe would work to...
US Institute of Peace
Responding to Conflict: Negotiation—Identifying Wants and Needs
Let's make a deal! Are real negotiations as simple as they are in the game show? Scholars learn the art of negotiation during the 8th instructional activity in a series of 15. The activity kicks off with a fun group negotiation, then...
Museum of Tolerance
Why is This True?
Are wages based on race? On gender? Class members research wages for workers according to race and gender, create graphs and charts of their data, and compute differences by percentages. They then share their findings with adults and...